Many commercial buildings with multiple stories have concrete deck floor support for each floor above ground level. Holes may be formed through such deck floor support to permit passage of conduit for cables or piping installed to supply various utility and information technology services throughout the commercial building. Building codes and fire regulations require use of certain insulation, barriers and intumescent coatings to retard the spread of fire from one floor to another.
When the building owner or occupant/tenant desires to change a floor layout, such that cables and piping or conduit are relocated from one location to another, an open hole or core hole through the concrete deck forming the floor may be left that previously was occupied by cables, piping or conduit. Such hole must be repaired before new flooring material, such as tile, laminate or carpet may be installed over the concrete deck floor.
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a known prior art method for repairing a hole 20 is illustrated. A plate 10 is affixed to the undersurface of the concrete deck 12 with a series of fasteners 14, such as concrete anchor screws. Grout 16 is packed into the hole volume. Then, new flooring material (not shown) may be installed over the top surface of the concrete deck 12 and the grout-filled hole 20. Such floor hole repair system frequently leads to undesired depressions or defects in the flooring material due to settling or shrinking of the grout 16 and/or due to movement of the plate 10. Such floor hole repair system lacks a fire barrier often required by building codes and fire prevention regulations applicable to commercial buildings.
Many commercial buildings are renovated for alternate uses. Many commercial buildings, such as hospitals, are renovated to increase capacity or introduce alternative equipment or services. Contractors and construction personnel continue to seek alternate systems and methods to repair core holes in concrete flooring.